People Headlines

October 14, 2009

There wasn't an Eames chair to be had last night at Design Within Reach where Miami Babylon author Gerald Posner spoke before a packed house at his Books & Books signing that was peppered with lots of familiar faces. We saw and heard ex mayor /inmate Alex Daoud, who applauded Posner's "courage to write this book," and noticed publicist Tara Solomon, who said nothing, but her presence spoke volumes, especially after the whole Page Six party pooper incident. Also there: current beach mayor Matti Bower, artist Carlos Betancourt, legendary designer and Biba brainchild Barbara Hulanicki, modeling mogul Irene Marie, real estate heavyweights Kevin Tomlinson and Monica Harvey, and, of course, party fixture Merle Weiss. Missing from the action, however, were a few players, including Michael Capponi and Ingrid Casares, who, incidentally, Posner, told the crowd was his most difficult interview, and who took to Twitter this morning to write the following statement: "Gerald Posner's book... is complete fiction..maybe all those facelifts clouded his memory..pathetic." She also contacted us this morning with an official statement, saying "I've been through this before with authors writing books about me but never once did I do an interview with them. I was referred to [Posner] by my friends Nick D'Annunzio and Tara Solomon. I figured if I told [Posner] my side--a few things, not all of it---I would at least get quoted correctly. From the few things I read, he quotes me saying I had nothing better to do than taking drugs and being a sycophant. Not only would I not describe my disease of addiction that way, I would never describe a friendship with Madonna of 20 years as me being a sycophant. How ridiculous. A person who my son and I spent last weekend in New York with. He is a lame excuse for an author and has [screwed] over a lot of people who worked very hard to make this city what it is today."

To that, Posner, who also quoted yours truly twice in the book, replied, "The book has 37 pages of source notes. Ingrid should check the source note for the quote about being a sycophant. It's not from her interview with me. It's cited Clubland: The Fabulous Rise and Murderous Fall of Club Culture by Frank Owen."

Capponi contacted us last night and said he, too, wanted to give a statement, saying the few parts of the book in which he is mentioned are also false. "Miami Babylon is filled with overwhelming falsities and inaccurate quotes," he says. "It is a shame that I, like many, let this author into my home only for him to misconstrue my words. A perfect example is cited on page 327 where it states I was present at Chris Paciello's bail hearing on the verge of tears, consoling his mother. I never attended any trials or preliminary hearings nor had I spoken to Chris for at least seven years after his arrest." Capponi cites another passage where Posner quotes him as saying, "I decided to be an addict," and refutes it, saying, "Not only is this a complete misquote, but it is extremely offensive to people like me and others who once suffered from the disease of addiction. No one decides to be an addict. I lost many years of my life to this addiction and for the last thirteen years, I have never touched a drug and do not plan to do so again."

Finally, he also offers some advice to future authors who plan to write a book on our fair city, saying, "I would encourage publishers to do more fact checking . . . I do not feel as if I was personally attacked in this book, but I feel it is my responsibility to stand up for my rights and all of the other people who Gerald Posner has trashed in this book. I am also standing up for my city. Miami is not a city built from nothing, as the author said, but is a city built from the sweat, creativity, and vision of a multi ethnic community of which I am very proud to be a part of. It is clear to me that this is just a cheap attempt to make money."

In response, Posner said "[His wife] Trisha and I spent hours and hours with Michael Capponi and he told us in great detail his own story and what he thought about others. It's all on tape. He often said he was telling us things that he had not told any other reporter. If he's upset, I can only imagine that it's either second thoughts about being so frank, or that he's distressed at not being a main character in a book about the Beach." As for Casares's Twitter comments, Posner faces them head on, laughing, "I guess I should take it as a compliment that Ingrid thinks I've had 'facelifts', although she's sure to be disappointed to learn I've never had any. Maybe she lives in a world where cosmetic surgery is the answer for someone looking good for their age. I just call it clean living." Meanwhile, Casares didn't only Tweet her ire, she also dropped Posner as a Facebook friend several months ago, an action which, while some may consider the social equivalent of the fatwa declared on Salman Rushdie, is one the author will hardly lose sleep over. "It's so bitchy and childish," laughed Mrs. Posner. But even if Mr. Posner did have trouble sleeping, he could always try counting the number of books sold in the wake of all this hype.

September 30, 2009

Following his appearance at the Americas Conference in Coral Gables, former prez and UN special envoy to Haiti Bill Clinton stopped by Acqualina Resort & Spa in Sunny Isles Tuesday night where he smoked a stogie (insert inappropriate joke here) while waiting to be fed al fresco from Il Mulino, the same restaurant where he broke bread in NYC recently with Prez Obama. Dining with an unidentified male, Bubba ordered a simple pasta dish with tomato sauce and cheesecake for dessert. Cigar and cheesecake aside, perhaps he's trying to exercise restraint in advance of his appearance on October 10 at the New York City Wine and Food Festival's Weight Watchers Presents Fun and Fit in the City where he will give opening remarks for a panel on how to live a healthier lifestyle?

September 16, 2009

Spotted today shopping with wife Carole Rome in the ladies' department at Bloomingdale's Aventura: Governor Charlie Crist, who didn't seem too thrilled when we snapped this photo of him. We wonder why. After all, his wife was doing some serious damage in the store which is good for our state's economy right? Ahem. After finishing their spree, security held the goods while the couple walked out holding hands. Aw, cute. It's nice to see the governor working hard on a Wednesday afternoon.

April 20, 2009

As the press release so perfectly put it, "Dreaded by universities, praised by students--it's the most notorious ranking in education: Playboy's Top Party Schools." And guess who snagged the number one spot? University of Miami. Congrats, we guess, on this dubious distinction--it's come a long way since the school was chastized back in the 60s and 70s when the joke was that "Underwater Basketweaving" was the most popular major. Sigh.

This just in: In celebration of this delightful ranking, Playboy is throwing a big party Thursday, April 30 from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. at Mr. Moe's in the Grove featuring Miss May 2009, Crystal McCahill, and hip hop artist Kenan Bell. You think UM prez Donna Shalala will be there too?

January 28, 2009

He loves Ghirardelli. He loves Lincoln Road. He even loves Publix, where we saw him Monday, reading the caloric intake information off a box of cookies (ice cream sundaes at Ghirardelli don't come with that info). And he loves to kvetch. Check out what Jackie's up to on You Tube. Hint: He's not as big a fan of Barack Obama as he is of ice cream.

January 22, 2009

For those wondering where all the celebrities have been lately, look no further than Washington, D.C., where Miami real estate developer Don Peebles and wife Katrina maintain a home and a pretty swanky guest list of powerful and glittery pals. The Peebles hosted a late night Inaugural afer party at the chichi Historic George Town Club and among those who showed up: singer Ashanti and Mariah Carey with hubby Nick Cannon. We have a feeling D.C. is going to steal a lot of our thunder as far as celebs are concerned, and with this nippy weather of late, there may be no competition, really.

December 29, 2008

Colombian-French politician, former senator, activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Ingrid Betancourt, who was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in 2002 and was rescued by Colombian security forces six and half years later in July, 2008, was seen hanging out at Jazid Saturday night, where her son Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt was playing the guitar with Miami band Green Room along with Betancourt's nephew, singer Jorge Mejia. According to spies it was a "very interesting evening." Absolutely. It's not every day you get a Nobel nominee hanging out on South Beach.

October 27, 2008

Matt Damon joined the March for Change on Miami Beach today, encouraging early voting, especially for his candidate of choice, Ben AffleckBarack Obama. See Matt walk. See Matt walk with dogs. See Matt sporting political stickers. See a bona fide A-lister in Miami for a change indeed.

October 11, 2008

There was a big bash for uber conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh at the Breakers in Palm Beach last night. Pictured to the left is the tart tongued commentator Ann Coulter, who plopped down next to Fox News president Roger Ailes and his wife Beth. Check out Ailes's eyes. They speak volumes. According to our insider, Coulter sat next to Matt Drudge before plopping down next to honcho Ailes. Also seen in the crowd: Mitt Romney and fired Fox News host John Gibson, known for making many a vile comment, including some anti-gay remarks, and for calling the late Heath Ledger a "weirdo" with a drug problem. And that was before the open bar. Sounds like some party! All that was missing was Sarah Palin jumping out of a moose shaped cake.

October 09, 2008

There's apparently a huge battle going on between the promoters of the White Party and some newish blood planning a similar AIDS fundraiser on the same night. According to our sources, it seems that Miami's own Alan T.,DJ Peter Rauhofer and Offer Nissim are producing their own party at Mansion on Sunday, November 30. That's the same night as Noche Blanca, a White Party-sanctioned event, which this year is being held at Cameo. The White Party folks at Care Resource aren't happy at all, saying "This is yet another time our community sees someone arrive in town and capitalize on what our not-for-profit-agency has spent years building to benefit our HIV positive community . . . There are so many other weekends when talent could come to our great city, produce a great party . . .And be most welcome." As unhappy as Care Resource is, we are now hearing that the Elton John Foundation is getting involved as the beneficiary in the Rauhofer party. Rauhofer offers his own email rebuttal, saying "When White Party approached me again this year to participate I decided to do so only if they finally revealed where the profit distribution [of the White Party] goes or at least how much of a percentage they actually donate. They again refused to give out any information . . . With no malicious intent, I've decided to throw my own event in Miami without the benefit of sponsorships or charging outlandish entry fees . . . I'm also covering all costs out of my own pocket . . . At the end of the day, we are not forcing anybody to attend our event. I find more comfort in the fact that I am still contributing to people with HIV/AIDS and at the same time giving everyone a choice to decide for themselves which organization is more reputable and where their money should go." Not that anyone asked, but we think the more the merrier--especially for such a worthy cause. But according to insiders, the fighting is getting really dirty, almost as dirty as the presidential election. Only it's up to you to decide who's being the Obama and who's being the McCain.

Update: Three hours after this item's posting, we received "the first in a series of informational and educational updates from Care Resource," which explains its 25 years of service to the community and reveals its annual budget of $8 million. "That's a lot of growth, by any standard," executive director Rick Siclari says. "It is the kind of growth in the not for profit sector which generally comes to those who provide important and needed services in a good and competent way." The letter goes on to explain that Care Resource does "not 'donate' monies to others. The monies we secure are, in turn, used to care for our clients, assisting us in providing them the services they need." Siclari says they operate over 22 programs and services, all funded by grand monies. "Every funder we have requires us to submit extensive reports at various intervals. In addition to this, they regularly come to our agency to review our records. " For those who want to know more about where the money from the White Party among other things goes, a copy of their audit is available on the website, www.careresource.org.